GroupWise Client Crash in GWABU1.DLL or GWXPLT1.DLL

GroupWise Client exits after a long period of use without shut down.

GroupWise Client crashes in GWABU1.DLL or GWXPLT1.DLL.

At the time of the writing of this TID, the reasons for the crashes specific to the instances mentioned in the note section were known and adjustments to code are being considered for a future GroupWise release.

Resolution is to restart the client occasionally, possibly once a week or more.

Also, the client should not, in succession, have more than several windows open for long periods.

For an explanation of the phenomenon, please see the 'Additional Information' section.

The circumstances under which the crashes occur are consistent.  The user(s) who have the issue report long periods of client use without either shutting down the workstation/laptop or without stopping and starting the GroupWise Client.

During the period of use, the client would routinely have more than five message windows open ongoing for lengthy periods. Often, these would not be closed and the workstation/laptop would be put into 'hibernate' mode while still open. 

 

The GroupWise Client uses the same GDI Heap as all other applications hosted by the OS, in this instance, Windows.  Windows has a limited amount of memory to offer applications.  In testing with the GroupWise Client and other applications (some third party and some Microsoft) it was found that, over time, if new instances of the application or sub-instances of the application were opened, that eventually the application would crash or would disallow more instances of the application to open.  Of the applications tested, the Microsoft-based ones were the most apt to simply discontinue opening new windows.  Of other non-MS apps, some would exit/crash and others would function like the MS apps.  In each instance, it was obvious that the host OS was running out of heap objects.  The difference was the response given by the hosted application.  Windows XP performs better than Windows 2000 Professional.  Windows Vista performed better than Windows XP.  The phenomenon does not occur in SuSE Linux or SLED based on the limited tests performed on the open source OS.